Saturday, August 21, 2010

"Hearts In the Right Place"

State Education Commissioner Bret Schundler Monday said he’s willing to give up the state’s monopoly on authorizing and regulating charter schools — as long as he gets to choose who the other decision-makers are.

"We’re believers in choice and competition, partly because we think there are lots of smart people out there with their hearts in the right place," Schundler told the Senate Education Committee Monday.

Oh, well, if they're "smart" and they have their "hearts in the right place," then they must be allowed to educate children! It's not like running a school takes training or experience...

If Rutgers wants to run charters, fine - but let's not kid ourselves. Is Rutgers going to come up with a plan to oversee hundreds of failing schools in urban areas? They can't even get a decent mens basketball program together (oh, snap!). This is nibbling on the edges at best.

Ruiz’s bill would also expand who can apply to establish charter schools, permit online schools, allow for single-sex schools and specialized schools for students with behavioral needs and disorders, including autism. For-profit corporations would also be able to operate charter schools, though the school could not bear the company’s name or logo and would not be allowed to run on a net profit. Ruiz said she may put those proposals into a separate bill. [emphasis mine]

This is about getting a foot in the door. The minute Sylvan starts up their first "non-profit" school the game is over - it's a short legislative hop over to a for-profit model.

There is a reason the big money boyz are pushing this stuff, and it's not altruism; these guys are poised to become the defense contractors of the next decade. And with pols like Bret Schundler deciding who has "their hearts in the right place," all it will take is a few well-placed campaign donations to uncap a gusher of government largesse flowing straight to the growing charter school industry.